Hinge



A. F. YOUNG June 26, 1951 HINGE Filed June 25, 1947 l l r fr INVENTOR. //e 1C: /oury Patented June 26, 1951 NrreE-o STAI PAT-ENT :o FfFlcE This invention relates generally to hinge joints and fmore particularly to hinge joints for folding sectional .screens and 4"like .folding y:panel members.

vAll devices of .this character, made inkaccordance with the teachings of the prior art, and with which I am familiar, leave a considerable opening between the screen panels and the panels can only be folded one way. Where screens have been used on an infants bed, they have been such that the childs lingers would get caught in the hinges or in the open joints between the screen panels, thereby injuring the child in many instances. Attempts have been made to provide ileXible cords as hinges between panels but it was found that these hinge members quickly lose their flexibility and require frequent replacement.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to overcome the above and other defects in hinge joints and it is more particularly an object of my invention to provide a hinge joint which is durable, economical in cost, economical in manufacture, and eiiicient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a. hinge joint between screen panels which is practically invisible.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hinge joint between screen panels wherein a closed joint is provided between the panels at all times.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hinge joint for connecting panels which permits the panels to move into overlapping or juxtaposed position with relation to each other.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hinge joint for screen panels and the like which greatly minimizes the danger of getting the fingers caught between the joint formed by the screen panels.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my novel hinge joint;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my novel hinge joint;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of my novel hinge joint;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is an end elevational View of my novel hinge joint in juxtaposed position.

Referring now to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive show oppositely disposed identical U- 2Y shaped members -I having `semi-circular shaped abutting portions 2 and apertures i3 for rece-iving screws vI for connectingfthe U-shapedmember-'s I to panels 5. The semi-.circular shaped portions 2of fthe members fl have aligned transverse slots 6. Cylindrical members 'I are nested in the U-shaped members I as shown in thel drawings, the cylindrical members 'I having transverse apertures 8 with counter-bores 9. A pin ID extends through the slots 6 in the members I and through the apertures 8 in the cylindrical members 1. Coil springs II vare disposed in the counter-bores 9 surrounding the ends of the pin I0, and stop washers I2 are disposed on the ends of the pin Ill by peening the ends I3 thereof or by any other suitable means.

In operation, the panels may be rotated through substantially a 360 degree arc to juxtaposed positions as shown in Fig. 5. The pin I0 moves laterally in the slots 6 and the springs II maintain the necessary tension to hold the semicircular abutting portions 2 together in abutting relationship.

The U-shaped members I and 2 are preferably disposed in grooves 20 in the panels 5 so that the outer sides of the U-shaped member I are in the same horizontal plane as the outer sides of the panel, thereby making the joint between the panels a tight closed joint at all times no matter what angular position the panels 5 are in.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a novel hinge joint for panels which maintains a closed joint between the panels at all times, regardless of the angular relation of one panel to the other, one which permits movement of the connected panels substantially through a 360 degree arc, one which has no projecting portions to permit fingers or the like to be caught in the hinge or in the joint formed between the panels, and one which forces the edges of the adjacent screen members in abutting relationship with each other at all times.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A hinge joint comprising oppositely disposed, U-shaped members having substantially semicircular shaped portions thereof in abutting relationship, said semi-circular shaped portions each having a transverse slot, an arcuate shaped member having a transverse aperture disposed in each of said U-shaped members, a pin extending through said slots in said U-shaped members and through the apertures in said arcuate shaped members and spring means on` each end of said pin for urging said cylindrical U-shaped members together in abutting relationship.

2. A hinge joint comprising substantially U- shaped members having semi-circular shaped abutting portions adapted to be connected to adjoining panels, each of said semi-circular shaped portions of said U-shaped members having a transverse slot, cylindrical members nested in said U-shaped members each having a transverse aperture and a counter-bore, a connecting pin extending through said slots and the apertures in said cylindrical members, a coil spring disposed in said counter-bore of each of said cylindrical members surrounding opposite ends of said connecting pin, and a stop member secured to each end of said pin. Y

3. A hinge joint comprising transversely slotted arcuate shaped abutting members adapted to be connected to the edges of panels, an arcuate shaped member nested in each of said abutting members having a transverse aperture, a. connecting pin extending through the apertures in 4 said arcuate shaped members and the slots in said abutting members, and spring means on each end of said pin for urging said abutting members together.

4. A hinge joint comprising oppositely disposed hinge members having transversely slotted, arcuate shaped portions in abutting relationship, an elongated member extending through the transverse slots in the arcuate shaped portions of said hinge members, an arcuate shaped member engaging the inner'arcuate shaped portion of each of said hinge members, and means for yieldably connecting said arcuate shaped members to opposite ends of said elongated member.

. ALLEN F. YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

